Aaron Rodgers looks primed and ready for Year 21.
The 41-year-old inked a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason, with the 2025 NFL campaign expected to be the final chapter of his storied Hall of Fame-worthy career.
Rodgers is hoping to end his 21-year NFL career on a highGettyRodgers is the first player in Steelers history to be over the age of 40, but he may need to roll back the years to his four-time MVP level of play in order to help snap head coach Mike Tomlin’s six-game playoff losing skid that leaves his job very much at risk.
However, 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Joe Thomas isn’t convinced that Rodgers can rally the troops around him and help the team bid for a Super Bowl.
In fact, he is actively rooting against the Steel City team this upcoming campaign, though that is due to his allegiance to their division rivals the Cleveland Browns, having spent all 11 years of his NFL career playing at Huntington Bank Field.
But with Rodgers having only won five games with the New York Jets in 2024, and going down with an Achilles tear on his Jets debut in 2023, Thomas cannot see any way how the aging quarterback can level up his play to ensure the Steelers’ $375 million spend this offseason is worth it.
“There’s not many quarterbacks that have had a bad year coming off injury, as they get really old, and their third or fourth teams, that have found really great success,” Thomas told guest co-host Andrew Siciliano on ‘The Rich Eisen Show’.
The 10-time Pro Bowler is also somewhat skeptical about Rodgers’ ability to get his teammates to buy into his style and way of leading, with the Steelers’ mentality virtually being championship or bust.
“Really the big question is, can they get the locker room to buy-in around him?” Thomas continued.
“Earlier on in his career and even when he went to the Jets, there was a lot of hoopla and it was easy for the veterans and players on the team to buy all-in.
“‘This was our lottery ticket, this was our missing piece. He’s going to be the guy taking us to a championship’.
“I think that aura around him is kinda gone at this point.”
Rodgers has the weight of the Steelers franchise on him as they’ve gone all-in to try and win the SBGetty Rodgers was forced off just four minutes into his Jets debut in 2023 and has dealt with various injuries sinceGetty“He really needs to humble himself a little bit I think and find a way to get the rest of the locker room to buy into what he’s selling. And to believe ‘Yes, he can be the Aaron Rodgers of old.’
“Until he does that, I think they’re going to be a little lukewarm on his presence.”
But Steelers four-time First-team All-Pro defensive tackle Cameron Heyward has disputed those comments, saying that he feels Rodgers has ‘bought all-in’ to the team, which in turn, has earned the players’ respect.
Rodgers’ last winning season came in 2021 when he led the Green Bay Packers to their third consecutive 13-3 finish.
Since then, he has a combined record of 14-21.
But, the sometimes controversial veteran was spotted earlier this offseason training with his new receiving corps, including the blockbuster acquisition D.K Metcalf, Scotty Miller, and tight end Pat Freiermuth.
Rodgers’ last winning season came with the Packers in 2021Getty Rodgers was spotted training with other pro athletes on the beachIG/ @proactivespMore recently, the 41-year-old has been spotted in a celebratory workout in California alongside other athletes, including NBA star Karl-Anthony Towns, among others, as he bids to be in the best shape possible for his NFL farewell tour.
In the video, posted to Instagram by Proactive Sports Performance, Rodgers can be seen running up and down steps at the beach, as well as taking part in some activities including football, with his arm talent on full display.
Despite his poor team record, Rodgers’ individual numbers haven’t deviated too much from his career average, with him throwing 28 touchdowns last year at a 63 percent completion rate (65.1 percent is his career average), though he also had 11 interceptions, tied for the third-most of his career in a single season.
Although Thomas has his doubts, and strong ones at that, the NFL Network analyst is intrigued to see how the season pans out for Rodgers and the Steelers, as the 10-time Pro Bowler sees out the twilight of his career representing the Black and Gold, with the hope of delivering one last Vince Lombardi trophy.
“It’s going to be disruptive. It’s going to be a media circus when you bring Aaron Rodgers in anywhere,” Thomas added.
“Of course he is going to do his shows and say controversial things, and players don’t really love that unless you are producing on the field.
“So it will be really interesting to see what he does, and how he changes in little ways just to make himself maybe a more available, more approachable to his teammates, and to get them to buy-in and really believe in what he’s doing on the field and be the guy that can lead them to a Super Bowl.”
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